Board of Health,

Dear Members of the Board of Health,

Please maintain strong abortion center regulations. Since the regulation process began, health department inspectors have uncovered hundreds of health and safety violations. An especially troubling revelation was made at the Roanoke Medical Center for Women, where inspectors documented that a 16 year-old and two 14 year-old girls had abortions without documented parental consent. The abortion industry has fought regulation for years claiming it can regulate itself, yet repeatedly independent inspectors have found serious deficiencies, even during announced inspections. Abortion centers are not able to self-regulate. Abortion is not healthcare because it ends lives instead of healing them. However, since abortion operates under the guise of healthcare, abortion centers must adhere to the regulatory standards of other healthcare facilities. Simply, Virginia women and minor girls deserve nothing less. Thank you for considering my perspective on this important matter.

The idea that women receiving abortion procedures are not entitled to the same protection from the Commonwealth of Virginia as other citizens undergoing outpatient surgery is offensive to many Virginians, regardless of our political stand on abortion. And, the "packing" of the Board of Health to overturn the will of a majority of Virginia citizens regarding health care for women is contrary to the Virginia tradition of respecting the will of the people. William R. Watts